Prosecutor identifies woman found dead on Route 22 median as Sussex County resident

BRANCHBURG TOWNSHIP, NJ (Somerset County) – A Sussex County woman has been identified as the person found dead in the center median on Route 22 in Branchburg Wednesday evening, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives John W. Fodor, and Branchburg Township Chief of Police David Young announced Friday.

​Ashley M. Castro, 29, of Hopatcong was identified following a post mortem examination by the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office in Newark, Robertson said.

“The cause and manner of death is pending further testing,” Robertson said.

Authorities said that at 1:22 p.m., the Branchburg Township Police responded to a call for service reporting a deceased female located on the center median of Route 22 near Route 28, in Branchburg. Responding Officers located the decedent and secured the area as a crime scene.

​Prosecutor Robertson stated that Detectives from the Branchburg Township Police Department, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Crime Scene Investigations and Forensics Unit, Investigator’s from the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, and Special Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Franklin Township Field Office), responded to conduct the death investigation.

“On behalf of the entire law enforcement community wishes to express his deepest condolences to Ashley’s family and friends,” Robertson said.

​Detectives are working tirelessly to gather facts surrounding the death of Castro, and are requesting for the public’s assistance in establishing her recent whereabouts. If anyone recently had contact with her, authorities are urging them to call law enforcement authorities, Robertson said.

​Authorities are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at (908) 231-7100, the Branchburg Township Police Department (908) 526-3830 or the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or online at www.888577tips.org or www.scpo.net and click on either “Crime Stoppers” or “TIPS HOTLINE”. All anonymous Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.

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